


Patrol

by Skepsis_Ree



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: First Feelings, Fluff, M/M, catching feeling, sterek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24068788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skepsis_Ree/pseuds/Skepsis_Ree
Summary: A gift for Lyka on Twitter.A short fluffy story between Stiles and Derek. The first of feelings and Derek being dense as fuck while Stiles sits there being awkward. Derek is out on Patrol and Stiles stops him for a conversation.This takes place before Kanami (sp?) it's been a while since I've seen any Teen Wolf so apologies if anything looks wrong.
Relationships: Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Kudos: 36





	Patrol

If there were such things as a perfect day this was one of them. The sun was out, and there was a breeze keeping the California heat at bay. One of the first days of summer with exams around the corner keeping many teens and their families at home or too busy to take advantage of the nice weather. The park wasn’t too busy because of that; families and tourists dotted the lawn, and many lounged on beach towels or in the shade of the trees enjoying the heat.

Scott and Allison sat some meters away, smiling and laughing on a day like today. Derek stayed obscured across the park, lurking like a dangerous animal. He had been nervous for the teen’s safety as of late and had taken to patrolling the school grounds in secret to make sure they stayed safe. With school being out, it made it difficult to keep an eye on all of them at once.

Scott and Allison had taken the opportunity to eat lunch at the park. Their exam schedule allowed it no doubt and it gave them both a good excuse to enjoy the summer.

It was silly to worry this much, but Derek couldn’t help but feel responsible for the teenager. They didn’t know how cruel the world could be, or how dangerous. They had gotten little tastes of it, but there were storms brewing on the horizon and it was Derek’s fault they had gotten wrapped up in all of this, to begin with. So, he sat quietly on the park bench in the shade, thinking of the worst that could happen and how he would deal with it in the middle of the day.

It didn’t take long for Allison and Scott to fall into old habits; running and enjoy the fresh grass and playing in that way that only teenagers could.

A familiar smell drifted over to Derek, his sights still on Scott as his attention drifted.

“You’re not going to sneak up on me,” Derek said easily, looking away from the two teenagers towards Stiles who stood a few feet away.

“And here I thought the headwind was in my favor.” The teen quipped back, putting his finger in his mouth momentarily and then holding it up in the air as if he was going to detect the wind accurately.

Derek gave the boy an unimpressed look and redirected his attention back towards Scott.

“You spying on them?” Stiles asked as he sat down beside Derek, his tone accusing.

“I’m just making sure nothing happens to them.”

“So, you’re spying.” Stiles quipped.

Derek lulled his head in annoyance back towards the teen. He was expecting Stiles to look pissed or at the very least accusing, but instead, he was met with that foolish grin. A smile looking for a chuckle, or at the very least levity.

Derek frowned and sat up straight, looking away from Stiles.

“Tell me honestly, do I need to worry about him?” Stiles asked, looking past Derek and towards his carefree friends.

Derek hesitated. How could he answer that? They all needed to worry, but at the same time, there was nothing concrete to direct them towards. Danger was there whether they liked it or not and there was no easy end to being a werewolf.

“Not right now,” Derek said, feeling like the words lacked the comfort he desired them to have.

“Figures,” Stiles replied, leaning back on the bench, and frowning along with the man. “You know…” he hesitated, and Derek could smell the nervousness begin to roll off the boy. “I appreciate you looking out for Scott….”  
Derek looked towards Stiles, noting the rise in stress in his posture. It looked like he was trying to say more, but something was stopping him. The mingling smell of sweat and something sweet; something uniquely Stiles in his anxious way.

“Even if you are spying on him.” Stiles finished, the words lacking humor despite the attempt.

Derek huffed a laugh regardless, the sound rattling in his throat for the short second it sat there. That was something interesting about Stiles; despite how tedious and annoying he was, he did bring levity to everything. He wasn’t funny, but he was trying to be, and Derek was slowly starting to appreciate his brand of sympathy. They were all just trying to get by.

Stiles smiles at the little laugh, opening his mouth as if to tease and then closing it again. Derek had hated this kid when he first met him; he was a loudmouth, smart, but also extremely stupid. Anxious, but ambitious and the perfect foil to Scott. Slowly Stiles had grown on him though, and Derek felt himself relaxing in the teen’s presence. It was unexpected and most of the time Derek hadn’t even been aware he had been clenching his jaw or holding tension in his shoulders until Stiles arrived. There was a way about him that both spiked Derek’s attention and allowed him to relax. It was uniquely Stiles.

“Well, I guess I’m spying on all of you then.” Derek finally answered, not sure where the small attempt at humor had come from. It wasn’t his forte and he wasn’t sure why he’d want to encourage this kind of behaviour from Stiles.  
“You—what? All of us?” Stiles stammered as he sat up straight.

Derek frowned and glanced towards the teen again. He was blushing and Derek could smell fear mingle with the boy’s anxiety. Ah… so this had been too far of a step. He still struck fear into Stiles’ heart. That wasn’t so bad. He’d rather be feared then forgotten.

“Never mind,” Derek replied, looking away again as his own stomach dropped slightly. Strange, he had wanted to impress Stiles for some reason, somehow, and he truly felt disappointed that he had elicited this kind of reaction from the boy instead.

“Spying how?” Stiles pressed.

Derek could tell Stiles was sitting rigidly despite not looking at him. His scent alone was starting to put Derek on edge.

“I said never mind. I just go by the school once a day, it’s no big deal.”

Stiles seemed to let out a held breath, and the fear subsided slightly.

“Oh, that makes sense.” He said, and Derek could swear he sounded disappointed. He glanced at Stiles again, studying the way he hung his head and smiled almost tenderly to himself. He did look disappointed for some reason.  
Derek looked at him from the corner of his eye, watching how he fiddled with his own nails as his hands hung limp in his lap. He had matured a lot since the first time they had met. He could never forget how Stiles had saved his life—more than once—and he felt indebted to the boy even if he wasn’t sure how to share that. It was more than that though. He liked being around Stiles despite everything he told himself. This kid was annoying, brash, and had a knack for getting in the way. But still… despite all that, he enjoyed the small moments they got to have together.

“I should go join them,” Stiles said suddenly, standing up from the bench. Derek glanced away, wary suddenly if it had looked like he had been staring.

Stiles walked past the bench and Derek watched as he strode out onto the grass. He could feel his heart twinge with something, and Derek frowned unsure of how to process the feeling. It was almost like longing… but that couldn’t be right. He had been a solitary man for years and Stiles wasn’t going to be the one to make him feel kinship. Kinship… or anything else.

The teen turned around, that brilliant smile back on his face as he stood partway between Scott and Derek. There was an air of mischievousness about him, and Derek felt his chest tighten at the sight.  
“Why don’t you just join us you creep?” Stiles yelled towards Derek; yelling loud enough to make Scott turn and pay attention.

Derek scowled, sitting on the bench, and debating what to do now that his cover was blown. He had no intention of hanging out with a bunch of teenagers and he had hoped to make this patrol quick so he could return home. What was he supposed to do? Just hang out the entire afternoon?

Derek grumbled to himself and stood, the pressure of socialization looming over him. Well, he might as well make the best of it.

He glared as he approached Stiles, walking passed him and towards Allison and Scott. He’d stay only a little while and then think of some excuse to leave. He still had to walk past the other teen’s houses to check in on them.

Stiles didn’t seem too bothered by Derek’s attitude however and he happily sat down on the blanket Scott and Allison had brought along. The teen beaming, looking as foolish as ever. Derek would be lying if he didn’t admit that he felt like smiling just a bit at the sight.


End file.
